We're supposed to be three and I was the Commentator. The rest were assigned as Lector1 and Lector2.
Occasionally, it does happen that one lector will be out. If so, the other lector takes both duties as Lector1 and Lector2. It is the simplest way to manage it. But both of them out? That's a bit unusual.
Possible Substitute for Lector
In last week's mass at the mall, I was already preparing my station as Commentator when I realized that no lector has come in yet. "This is odd", I said to myself.
Since I was early, I browsed through the Sunday readings (Reading 1, Responsorial Psalm and Reading 2).
Soon it was almost 9 am and still no lector.
I sort of joked Bro. Froi, if he was willing to be the lector for the mass. Bro. Froi is one of the lay ministers of the EMHC (Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion).
He gave me a sheepish smile and just said, "You can do it!" Based on his answer, apparently, he wasn't willing. He wasn't willing, although he could have since he is also a commissioned lay minister like me.
I suppose I could have egged him enough had I been desperate in the situation.
No Longer Surprised with No-Shows
But I wasn't.
This wasn't the first time that there were no lectors when I was the commentator. It already happened to me but it was in a wedding mass where I multi-tasked as lector and commentator.
In the church, the readings are the same for all wedding masses. So I didn't have much problems being the commentator and lector in a wedding mass. There was no lectionary to prepare.
But it was the first time that it happened in a Sunday mass. One difference between Sunday masses in the church and the mall is that, at the mall, there is no Book of Gospels to be brought at the entrance procession.
The lectors as well as the priest proclaim the readings from the standard Sunday missalette. That means, there's no lectionary to prepare also. I guess that's the reason I wasn't stressed as much with the no-shows.
Feedback After the Sunday Mass
There wasn't much feedback after the Sunday mass. Bro. Froi was simply smiling approvingly after the mass. His smile seemed to be saying, "See, I knew you could do it!"
The priest? Well, he didn't have anything to say. I guess unless something messes up big time, you won't hear from him. That's the way it is, I suppose.
Interestingly, much later in the afternoon, I bumped into another lector. She said she wasn't didn't attend the mass that morning at the mall but heard me. She was surprised when he heard me take on all the roles as commentator, lector1 and lector2.
She felt bad that neither one of the other assigned lectors that morning showed up, but still, she complemented on how I did a good job, nonetheless.
